COST 276

Information and Knowledge Management for Integrated

Media Communication

University of LjubljanaProf. Jurij Tasič, Urban Burnik

2

Introduction

Goals of the ActionFinancial constructionParticipating countriesOrganisational structure (WGs)Overview of activities

Results Workshops and MC Meetings Undergoing activities

Conclusions Financial Issues Promotion of Activities

3

Goals of the Action

advanced multimedia data and knowledge management technologies Personalisation in multimedia communication systems and services,Supporting technologies, including specific signal processing and implementation techniques for users' personal terminalssystem integration, personification of services, usage trials and demonstrations of advanced personal services.

4

Participating countries

Greece 03/04/01 Spain 04/04/01 France 04/04/01

Slovenia 05/04/01 Norway 06/04/01 Switzerland 10/04/01

Cyprus 25/04/01 Slovakia 02/05/01 Hungary 17/05/01

Croatia 17/05/01 Italy 30/05/01 Romania 07/06/01

Czech Republic 28/06/01

Bulgaria 31/07/01 Ireland 3/10/01

5

Financial construction

Participating entities per participant could be estimated as:

1 scientist 60,000 EUR 1/2 technician20,000 EUR 2 Ph.D. students 60,000 EUR 1/5 secretary 8,000 EUR -------------------- Total 148,000 EUR

1 year estimate 22 x 135,000 = 3,256,000 EUR. Funds received: 41,000 EUR

6

Organisational structure (WGs) WG1:

Multimedia information and data management. A. R. Figueiras-Vidal

WG2:Agent architectures, technologies and metadata descriptors. A. Vlaicu

WG3:Technologies for personalised multimedia communications and interfacing. M. Ansorge

WG4:Personalised Advanced methods for Signal, Video, speech and sound processing and coding. M. Najim

7

Overview of activities

The results and activities on the COST 276 Action 1st year activities and results Workshop and meetings Overall Conclusions

8

Main goals for the 1st year:

The main goals of the first project’s year were To explore methods and tool to deal with

the project issues To constitute a basic cooperative R&D

network To promote further activity along the

required lines.Research activities will be presented among

WGs.

9

WG1: Multimedia information and data management

TOPICS: Multimedia information, knowledge management and data

management Content and knowledge metadata descriptors

PARTNERS: TU Cluj-Napoca, Romania Universidad Carlos III de Madrid , Spain University of Ljubljana, Slovenia Sintef Telecom and Informatics, Trondheim, Norway University of Bordeaux I, France University of Florence, Italy University of Neuchâtel, Switzerland Middle East Technical University, Turkey - applicant

COORDINATOR:A. R. Figueiras-Vidal, Universidad Carlos III de Madrid, Spain

10

WG1 activities:

multimedia content management problems1. Multimedia content description2. Low level and high level descriptors 3. Knowledge structures: representation, relations,

semantics4. Data and information mining in Telecommunication

networks 5. Adaptation of Knowledge Management (KM)

functions to information push and pull in Tele-communication networks

6. Classification /personalization tools and techniques and related problems (indexing)

11

WG2: Agent architectures, technologies and metadata descriptors.

TOPICS: Agent architectures for agent communication and agent

mobility Agent technologies for data delivery, retrieval and system

management

PARTNERS: Technical University of Cluj-Napoca (Romania) Universidad Carlos III de Madrid (Spain) University of Ljubljana (Slovenia) Budapest University of Technology and Economics (Hungary) Université de Bordeaux I (France)

COORDINATOR: A. Vlaicu, TU Cluj-Napoca, Romania

12

WG2 activities:

Research on agent technologies Intelligent Agent Systems Agent architectures for agent

communication and agent mobility Agent technologies for data delivery,

retrieval and system management Multiagent Systems Pull and Push of Information

13

WG3: Technologies for personalised multimedia communications and interfacing.

TOPICS: Technologies for user interface personalisation Technologies for personalised multimedia communications

PARTNERS: Institute Rudger Boskovic, Zagreb, Croatia Czech Technical University in Prague, Czech Republic University of Bordeaux I, France Budapest University of Technology and Economics, Hungary University of Trieste, Italy University of Florence, Italy. TU “Gh. Asachi”, Iasi, Romania TU Košice, Slovakia University of Ljubljana, Slovenia Universidad Carlos III de Madrid, Spain University of Neuchâtel, Switzerland Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne, Switzerland

COORDINATOR: M. Ansorge, University of Neuchâtel, Switzerland

14

WG3 activities:

Technologies for personalised multimedia communications and interfacing Technologies for user interface personalisation; Technologies for personalised multimedia

communication.

four fundamental categories: 1. Basic methods2. Interfacing and personalisation methods 3. Hardware implementation techniques4. Application-driven interfaces

15

WG4: Personalised Advanced methods for Signal, Video, speech and sound processing and coding.

TOPICS: Dedicated advanced methods for signal, video, speech and

sound processing and coding (underlying technologies for WG3) PARTNERS:

TU Cluj-Napoca, Romania TU Iasi, Romania University of Neuchâtel, Switzerland Universidad Carlos III de Madrid, Spain University of Ljubljana, Slovenia Budapest University of Technology and Economics, Hungary TU Košice, Slovakia Université de Bordeaux I, France Czech Technical University in Prague, Czech Republic Sintef Telecom and Informatics, Trondheim, Norway Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), Trondheim,

Norway COORDINATOR:

M. Najim, Université de Bordeaux I, France

16

WG4 activities: Personalised Advanced methods for Signal, Video, speech and sound processing and coding:

developing new approaches in the field of medium processing;

exchanging information and knowledge about advanced methods for medium processing

Main topics: Image analysis and processing Algorithms and architectures for advanced video

processing : analysing image format conversion Watermarking vs. compression: exploring for any medium

(audio, speech, image and video) new watermarking methods robust to compression

Data hiding for video error concealment

Detailed activities

18

Structure of metadata descriptors

Improved multimedia information and data management methods.

Knowledge structures for representation of relations between objects

Semantic notations Metadata structure.

19

Agents as information resources

Agent-based architecture distributed information systems based on

existing information resources, software agents using distributed object

technologies Use of FIPA agent communication language

(ACL). Communication with fixed / wireless networks distributed resource management between

centralised sites and remote (wireless) terminals

20

Underlying technologies for automated feature extraction:

Feature extraction using a class of Cellular Neural Networks (TU “Gh. Asachi”, Iasi);Transform based invariant associative image memory for multimedia applications (TU Košice);Specific filter implementations for personalized interfaces (Czech TU in Prague);

21

Stochastic 1-D and 2-D model

define new methods for speech enhancement and coding based on stochastic sinusoidal model speech analysis and enhancement Characterisation of quasi-periodic

signals. more efficient compared to

autoregressive (AR) models

22

Hardware implementation techniques for high level feature extraction:

Hardware-oriented algorithms for motion estimation (University of Trieste);Motion estimation for MPEG4 based on object trajectory (Budapest Uni. of Tech. & Econom.);Low-complexity architectures and algorithms for motion estimation (University of Neuchâtel);

23

Interfacing and personalisation technologies:

Representation of user preference (user profilation, personalization) using the vector-space approach (Universidad Carlos III de Madrid);Human-machine voice communication interfaces for personalised interactive multi-modal systems (Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne, EPFL);Interfaces in Grid environments (Institute Ruder Boskovic, Zagreb);Information management in biometric identification systems (Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne, EPFL);

Need for specialists in Ergonomy

24

Image processing for presentation

study of interpolation algorithms for matrix displays (co. Philips Research Monza, European patent) interpolation of text images. nonlinear interpolators for natural images.

Improved Warped Distance Interpolator (Ramponi) methods proposed for text and natural image

interpolation need to be refined The final objective of the work will be the

feasibility study of real devices, based on DSPs and/or ASICs.

25

Algorithms and architectures for efficient information display

Smart image format conversion for personalised applicationsOutput processing stage (before the visualization device) that improves visual quality of the output. contrast enhancement, robust to coding

artifacts Algorithms for image format conversion and

scaling Techniques should operate on mixed-content

images

26

Data hiding for video error concealment

transmission error detection and/or concealment. information retransmission is not feasible data interpolation data hiding techniques (error concealment

embedded inside visual data) standard compliant (the overhead

information is hidden inside the data themselves, and treated as the data by standard compression algorithms)

27

Information security management

Exploring new watermarking methods robust to compression for any medium (audio, speech, image and video)Two kinds of digital medium are considered:

watermarking for audio watermarking for video

Object-based coding, downscaling (MPEG4)

28

Application-driven interfaces:

Personalized interfaces in smart cars (Czech TU in Prague);Personalised interfaces applied to medical applications for blood transfusion control (University of Ljubljana);Personalized interfaces for distance education (Budapest Uni. of Tech. & Econom.);Video transmission over GPRS network (University of Florence).

29

Formal Activities

COST 276 MC Meetings Workshops of COST276 Invited Lectures related to

COST276 activities Special Sessions dedicated to

COST 276 Scientific and Technical

Cooperation

30

MC Meetings

Inaugural Management Committee Meeting, Brussels, June 22nd, 2001.

1st COST 276 MC + WG1-WG4 meeting, Madrid, November 21st, 2001.

2nd COST 276 MC + WG1-WG4 meeting, Florence, March 25th, 2002

31

Workshops

1st COST 276 WorkshopDate: 2nd half November 2001Location: Madrid, SpainOrganiser: A. R. Figueiras-Vidal, Universidad Carlos III de Madrid, Spainwww.tsc.uc3m.es/~cost276

2nd COST 276 WorkshopDate: 25-26 March, 2002Location: Florence, ItalyOrganisers: Vito Cappellini, Alessia De Rosa, University of Florence, Italyhttp://lci.det.unifi.it/Events/Cost276/cost276.html

32

Invited Lectures

Prof. M. Najim, University of Bordeaux I, France, “Mono- and Bi-Dimensional Parametric Modelling: From Speech Signal Enhancement to Texture Characterization”M. Ansorge, F. Pellandini, S. Tanner, J. Bracamonte, P. Stadelmann, J.-L. Nagel, P. Seitz, N. Blanc, C. Piguet, “Very Low Power Image Acquisition and Processing for Mobile Communication Devices”M. Ansorge, F. Pellandini, J. Bracamonte, S. Tanner, P. Stadelmann, “Advances in Very Low-Power Image Sensing and Compression for Multimedia Mobile Communicators”

33

Special Sessions

Special Session “Speech and Audio Processing Devices and Applications” at the European Conference on Circuits Theory and Design ECCTD’01, Espoo, Finland, August 28-31, 2001.Special Session “Nonlinear signal processing methods, devices, and applications” at IEEE Int’l. Symp. on Signals, Circuits and Systems, SCS 2001, Iasi, Romania, July 10-11, 2001In preparation: Special Session “Low-Power Algorithms and Architectures for Image and Video” at the XI European Signal Processing Conference, EUSIPCO 2002, Toulouse, France, Sept. 03-06, 2002

34

Publications

In preparation: Book titled: Towards Intelligent

Integrated Media Communication Techniques (Kluwer)

Joint proceedings of 1st and 2nd COST 276 Workshop (in print)

35

Scientific and Technical Cooperation

COST 276 / SCOPES cross-programme cooperation: University of Neuchâtel (Dr. Ansorge), Switzerland, CSEM S.A. Zürich (Prof. Seitz), Switzerland, Technical University “Gh. Asachi” in Iasi, Romania (Prof.

Goras),

Within the above cooperation, four stays of three months each have been carried out as follows:

Stays 1+2: Two stays from TUI to IMT Uni-Neuchâtel from April 1st to June 26, 2001 ( Mr. Radu Cezar Matei and Mr. Eugen Romeo Ghinea );

Stays 3+4: Two stays from TUI to IMT Uni-Neuchâtel from Sept. 2nd to Nov. 26, 2001 ( Mr. Tiberiu Dinu Teodorescu and Mr. Victor Andrei Maiorescu ).

This cooperation is explicitly connected to COST 276.

36

Future directions: Improved multimedia information and data management

methods, content and knowledge metadata descriptors, Agent architectures and technologies for agent communication

and agent mobility, data delivery and retrieval, and for system management,

Individualised service platforms based on user interface personalization,

New algorithms, architectures and system design that provide special features required by personalised multimedia services,

Advanced methods for Signal, Video, speech and sound processing and coding.

The Action is oriented towards long-term basic research while recognising the iterative nature of developments in this field, due to the rapid development cycles of new technology. The major goal is to develop a vision of future application possibilities.

37

Conclusions

The keyword: user-tailored information delivery in heterougeneous multimedia communication systemsPromising 1st year resultsSupport for new communication technologies (p2p) will be integratedInteractivity among WGs and scientific cooperation between partners should be enhanced (financing)Financial Issues

38

Financial Issues

Lack of financial fundings. high importance of COST projects vs. low fundings at least funds for eligible MC travel expenses and publications should be assured.

Realised travel costs could not be reimbursed, 15 participating countries × 2 national delegates × 2 MCM

á 1000 EUR = 60.000 EUR

publications of Workshops and of a book are pendingshort-term scientific missions are on hold as there are still open claims for travel and Workshop organisation.